Drafting machine pen conditioner

ABSTRACT

THE INVENTION CONCERNS APPARATUS FOR LIFTING AND LOWERING A PEN IN AN AUTOMATIC DRAFTING MACHINE, AND WHEREIN THE PEN TIP IS CONDITIONED DURING STORAGE IN RETRACTED POSITION.

06b ,1 A. M. MCINNIS 3,613,248

DRAFTING MACHINE PEN CONDITIONER Filed Aug 27, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,5 55 o AG.10.-

I/v VEN 7-02 fl/vaeew M. Ma INN/5 19, 7 A. M. MQINNIS 3,613,248

DRAFTING MACHINE PEN CONDITIONER Filed Aug. 27, 1969 3 Sheets-Shoot 2 INVENTOE. 7 '2 /VD/PEW fl]. MCI/WW5 13 A f f 5 A77 TOE/V5 VJ.

Oct. 19, 1971 c s 3,613,248

DRAFTING MACHINE PEN CONDITIONER Filed Aug. 27, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 H/vaeEw M. McIN/v/s IOTTOf/VEVJ.

United States Patent U.S. Cl. 33-18 R 15 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention concerns apparatus for lifting and lowering a pen in an automatic drafting machine, and wherein the pen tip is conditioned during storage in retracted position. i

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to drafting equipment, and more particularly concerns the operation of markers or pens carried by automatic drafting machines.

The use of marking devices such as pens in conjunction with movable carriages, as for example in automatic drafting machines, introduces certain problems. For example, there is need for simple apparatus operable to lift and lower a pen in relation to a work sheet on a drafting table, the pen being in lowered or active position as during drawing, and the pen being in raised or retracted position as during movement of the carriage between sheet locations at which the pen is to be used. Also, there is need for simple apparatus capable of conditioning the pen tip during storage in retracted position, as for example to maintain it wetted with ink so as to be immediately useful for drawing without examination or checking after retracted storage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a major object of the invention to provide simple and highly effective apparatus meeting the above needs. Basically, the invention involves the provision, in combination, of a support adapted to be displaced above and over a drafting surface and a pen holder carried by the support for movement between an active position in which the pen tip is presented for drawing and a first retracted position; and other means operatively connected with the holder for controllably moving the pen between such positions. Typically, the pen holder defines a pen axis which in holder retracted position is oifset laterally from the position of the axis in holder active position.

As will be seen, the conditioning means may comprise a pen tip seat which is constantly Wetted as with ink supplied from a reservoir carried by the support. Further, the holder movement control means may advantageously include actuator mechanism, as for example multiple solenoids, carried by the support in such manner as to coact to move the holder between active, first retracted and second retracted positions to be described. Also, force is transmissible from one or both solenoids by virtue of their pivoted suspension, to urge the holder against a stop or locating shoulder in active position of the pen. In this regard, the pen may be carried by the holder for up and down guided movement relative to the holder.

It is a further object of the invention to provide guide structure to guide the holder during its movement to carry the pen tip laterally and vertically. That structure may include cam and follower elements on the holder and support, as will be seen, and so related to the pivotally suspended solenoided actuators as to secure pen tip movement as described.

DRAWING DESCRIPTION These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a frontal elevation showing the pen control apparatus as mounted on automatic drafting equipment;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the FIG. 1 apparatus;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged frontal elevation partly broken away to show interior construction;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged elevation illustrating cam control of pen positioning;

FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 3, but showing the pen in a first retracted position;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevation showing the pen in partially retracted position;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective illustration of the pen holder;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 10 is a horizontal section taken on line 10'10 of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the drawings a support such as frame 10 is adapted to be displaced above and over a drafting surface 11 on which a sheet 12 is retained to be marked by the top 13 of a pen carried by the frame. The frame 10* includes front rear parallel plates 14 and 15 which extend vertically and held in spaced relation by fasteners 16 connected into spacer blocks 17 and 18 between the plates.

The frame may in turn be supported by an adapter unit 19 removably connected to a holder 20 on the arm of an automatic drafting machine. The arm may be considered as part of the machine drive 21 generally indicated. Specifically, the adapter unit 19 may for example include a plate 22 attached to plate 15-, spacers 23 attached to plate 22 and vertical slide structure 24 integral with the spacers. Structure 24 includes vertical tongues 24a having dovetail interfit with the holder at grooving 20a and 20b on the holder. The holder may include a floating wedge constructed to be laterally yieldably displaced by the tongue 24a in engagement therewith to eliminate looseness of fit. The lower edge 26 of the slide 24 may be angled downwardly and laterally as seen in FIG. 1 to engage the similarly angled upper surface 27 of a wedge block 28 carried by the holder and acting to support the slide at a level such that the pen tip in active position is proximate the surface of the sheet 12. A micrometer adjustment 29 is operatively connected with block 28 to controllably shift it laterally to finely adjust the vertical position of the pen tip as by lifting or lowering the slide 24 to which the frame 10 is attached.

In accordance with the invention, a pen holder is carried by the support frame for movement between active position in which the pen tip 13 is presented for drawing (as in FIGS. 1-4) and a (first retracted position (as for example in FIG. 6). The pen holder may, for example, take the form of the body 31 having a generally vertical through bore 32 to receive the pen 33, and defining a pen axis 34. The pen may be of any suitable type and may include a stepped portion 35 downwardly received in and frictionally supported by an adapter or insert 36 closely received in and vertically guided by the body bore stepped sections 32a and 3212. A flange 37 on the insert may seat on the body internal shoulder 38 in holder retracted position to be described; however, in holder active position the flange 37 is spaced above the shoulder so that the pen may float vertically as the tip 13 travels over the sheet in 3 engagement therewith. A flat spring 39 on the holder may typically engage the top of the pen and lightly urge it downwardly to maintain pen tip engagement with the sheet 12.

Further in accordance with the invention, conditioning means is provided to be engaged by the pen tip 13 in retracted position of the holder. In the example shown, the conditioning means comprises a yieldable porous medium such as a sponge or felt 40 into which is absorbed ink or other liquid the same as that normally supplied to the pen tip from the interior of the pen barrel, thereby to 'keep the tip from drying out during storage in retracted position. Accordingly, the element 40' acts as a wettable seat for the pen tip. Ink may be advantageously supplied constantly to the element 40 as from a well trough or groove 41 carried by the frame The trough communicates with a storage well or wells 42 formed by a plate 43 attached at 44 to block 17, that plate also forming the trough and mounting the seat element 40. A cover bracket 45 extends over the trough at- 45a, and includes a vertical leg 45b forming with the block 17 a vertical passage into which ink may be supplied at 46 to replenish the wells 42, as needed.

Finally, the invention contemplates the provision of other means operatively connected with the pen holder 31 for controllably moving the pen between active and retracted position as referred to. Such other means may typically include multiple actuators, as for example solenoids 51 and 52, which are controllably energizable to move the pen holder 31 between active position as seen in FIGS. 1-3, fully retracted position, as seen in FIG. 6, and partially retracted position as seen in FIG. 7. Note that the pen axis 34 in holder retracted position (FIG. 6) is offset laterally (leftwardly) from. the same axis in holder active position. In partially retracted position, the axis is offset only slightly to the right from its active position, the pen tip also being slightly lifted but poised for downward movement to active position. The pen may be shifted to partially retracted position during displacement of the pen over the sheet 12 to a different drawing location.

FIG. 9 shows, schematically, the provision of controls 53 operatively connected with the solenoids via lines 54 and 55, for controllably energizing same to effect shifting of the pen holder between its active and retracted positions as described. The controls may be remotely located, and may, for example, include three push buttons as shown,

- and corresponding to the three holder positions.

It will be noted that the solenoids are supported by carriers 56 and 57 pivotally mounted to the frame at 58 and 59. The solenoid plunger extensions 60 and 61 are pivotally connected at 62 and 63 to holder connector structures 64 and 65. As a result, operation of solenoid 51 tends to displace the holder lowermost extent laterally 1 within the frame 10, whereas operation of solenoid 52 tends to displace the holder lowermost extent vertically within the frame.

The means for controllably moving the pen may also include guide structure operable to guide it during such displacement to carry the pen tip vertically and laterally. The guide structure typically includes cam and follower elements on the holder and support frame, and as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 a horizontal follower pin 80 on the holder body 31 is received in and guided by the cam slots 81 formed by plates 14 and 15. The slots are curved so as to extend upwardly and laterally at 81a, horizontally at 81b, and downwardly and laterally at 81c, so as to guide the pen tip upwardly, laterally and then downwardly to seat on the conditioning seat 40, when moved to retracted position. Such movement of the holder is in response to energization of solenoid 52. Alternatively, the solenoid 51 above may be energized to carry the pin 80 into the detent cut-away 82 at which time the pen tip is in second retracted position, as seen in FIG. 7. Additional guide structure associated with the vertically movable upper extent of the holder includes the horizontal pin 83 4 carried by the holder and guided in vertical slots 84 in the plates 14 and 15. When pin 83 drops to lowermost (active) position as seen in FIG. 3, it operates a microswitch 66, via arm 85 to signal the controller that the pen is in position and ready to draw.

Note that, should the pen be in active positionwhen solenoid 51 is energized, the follower pin will be urged to the right in FIG. 5 and will ride up cam surface 70 to seat in detent 82; and should the pen be in FIG. 6 re tracted position when solenoid 51 is energized, the pin 80 will ride first against cam surface 810 and then surface 72, ultimately to seat in detent 82. Solenoid 51 will re main energized until it is deenergized in response to a command signal, whereupon the pen tip will drop the slight distance to engage the sheet 12. Solenoid 52 is only energized when it is desired to displace the pen tip to position as seen in FIG. 6. In fully lowered position, the pin 80 rests against tapered surfaces 70, thus restraining the pen holder from lateral movement since the mass of the pen, pen holder and two solenoids all press the pin into the tapered slot at 70. The pen, then, is free to float up and down to follow the drawing surface without inducing a drawing error due to lateral movement.

The writing, partially retracted and fully retracted positions of the pin 80 are seen at 80a, 80b and 80a respectively, in FIG. 5.

I claim:

1. For use in an automatic drafting machine, pen control apparatus comprising (a) a support adapted to be displaced above and over a drafting surface,

(b) a pen holder carried by the support for movement between an active position in which the pen tip is presented for drawing and a first retracted position,

(0) conditioning means engageable by the pen tip in said retracted position, and

(d) other means operatively connected with said holder for controllably moving the pen between said positions, and including means so that said pen tip has an inverted generally U-shaped path of movement between said positions.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pen holder defines a pen axis which in holder retracted position is offset laterally from said axis in holder active position.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said last named means includes guide structure operable to guide said holder during said movement to carry said pen tip laterally and vertically.

4. For use in an automatic drafting machine, pen control apparatus comprising (a) a support adapted to be displaced above and over a drafting surface,

(b) a pen holder carried by the support for movement between an active position in which the pen tip is presented for drawing and a first retracted position,

(0) conditioning means engageable by the pen tip in said retracted position, and

(d) other means operatively connected with said holder for controllably moving the pen between said positions, said other means including guide structure operable to guide said holder during said movement to carry said pen tip laterally and vertically,

(e) said guide structure including cam and follower elements on said holder and support and said other means including actuator mechanism carried by said support.

5. For use in an automatic drafting machine, pen control apparatus comprising (a) a support adapted to be displaced above and over a drafting surface,

(b) a pen holder carried by the support for movement between an active position in which the pen tip is presented for drawing and a first retracted position,

(0) conditioning means engageable by the pen tip in said retracted position, and

(d) other means operatively connected with said holder for controllably moving the pen between said positions,

(e) said holder having a second retracted position wherein the pen tip is out of engagement with said conditioning means but poised for downward movement to said active position, and said other means being operable to move the holder to said second retracted position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said other means includes multiple actuators controllably energizable to move the holder between said active, first retracted and second retracted positions.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 including pivotal mountings for said actuators.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said holder has a second retracted position wherein the pen tip is out of engagement with said conditioning means but poised for downward movement to said active position, and said other means includes multiple solenoids controllably energizable to move the holder between said active, first retracted and second retracted positions.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said conditioning means comprises a wettable pen tip seat.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said conditioning means includes a trough for liquid to be supplied to said seat, the trough carried by said support.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 including an automatic drafting machine element on which said support is car ried, and means to controllably adjust the support vertically on said element.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, including said pen received and guided by the holder for generally vertical movement, and yieldable means urging the pen downwardly relative to the holder in holder active position.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the solenoids are pivotally suspended by said support.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 including a locating shoulder engageable by the holder in active position, force exerted by at least one solenoid acting to urge the holder against said shoulder.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 including .said pen carried by the holder for up and down guided movement relative to the holder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,039,438 6/1962 Brown 346-140 3,127,678 4/1964 Muldoon 331 M 3,398,452 8/1968 Little et al 33-18 HARRY N. HAROIAN, Primary Examiner 

